1961 Virginia gubernatorial election

Last updated

1961 Virginia gubernatorial election
Flag of Virginia.svg
  1957 November 7, 1961 1965  
  Albertis Harrison 1962.jpg H Clyde Pearson 1956.jpg
Nominee Albertis Harrison H. Clyde Pearson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote251,861142,567
Percentage63.9%36.1%

1961 Virginia gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County and independent city results
Harrison:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Pearson:      50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

J. Lindsay Almond
Democratic

Elected Governor

Albertis Harrison
Democratic

In the 1961 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor J. Lindsay Almond, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. H. Clyde Pearson was nominated by the Republican Party to run against former Democratic Attorney General of Virginia Albertis Harrison.

Contents

Background

1961 would become the last Virginia gubernatorial election under the control of the conservative Byrd Organization before the Twenty-fourth Amendment and Voting Rights Act served to greatly expand the state's electorate – previously exceedingly small due to a cumulative poll tax and literacy tests. [1]

Allie Edward Stakes Stephens had served as Lieutenant Governor for over two terms since a 1952 special election. However, when the state went for losing GOP nominee Richard Nixon in 1960 despite Stephens supporting national Democrat Kennedy, [2] it was clear that the long-serving lieutenant had broken with the Organization. With patriarch Byrd senior considering it inappropriate for his son to run for any state office, [3] , Attorney General Albertis S. Harrison Jr. gained the Organization support in January. [4]

Campaign

By May Stephens had become strongly opposed to its longstanding policies and was campaigning vigorously against Organization nominee Harrison, [5] aided by financial support from former councillor and current State Highway Commission member Walter Chinn. [6] Harrison would consistently criticize Stephens for "intemperate" criticism of the Byrd Organization. [7]

Although "Massive Resistance" had been ended by outgoing Governor Almond in 1959, [8] education remained the major issue for all campaigns from the first primaries in June. [9] Stephens would lose the July 11 primary by thirteen percentage points [10] – significantly smaller than previous antiorganization candidates.

Campaigning was described by the press as "mild", [11] and predictions – ultimately fulfilled – expected turnout to be less than forty percent of the state's approximately one million registered voters. [12]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Primary results by county and independent city

1961 Virginia gubernatorial Democratic primary by county or independent city [10]
Albertis Sydney Harrison jr.
Democratic
Allie Edward Stakes Stephens
Democratic
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%
Accomack County 2,96866.83%1,47333.17%1,49533.66%4,441
Albemarle County 1,52965.71%79834.29%73131.41%2,327
Alleghany County 43661.67%27138.33%16523.34%707
Amelia County 84178.16%23521.84%60656.32%1,076
Amherst County 1,61169.65%70230.35%90939.30%2,313
Appomattox County 1,60888.06%21811.94%1,39076.12%1,826
Arlington County 4,64134.01%9,00465.99%-4,363-31.98%13,645
Augusta County 1,28374.85%43125.15%85249.71%1,714
Bath County 22574.01%7925.99%14648.03%304
Bedford County 2,52061.92%1,55038.08%97023.83%4,070
Bland County 31452.51%28447.49%305.02%598
Botetourt County 43043.79%55256.21%-122-12.42%982
Brunswick County 2,53786.59%39313.41%2,14473.17%2,930
Buchanan County 34021.04%1,27678.96%-936-57.92%1,616
Buckingham County 1,08580.79%25819.21%82761.58%1,343
Campbell County 1,51871.54%60428.46%91443.07%2,122
Caroline County 68870.78%28429.22%40441.56%972
Carroll County 21721.81%77878.19%-561-56.38%995
Charles City County 13734.00%26666.00%-129-32.01%403
Charlotte County 1,34484.26%25115.74%1,09368.53%1,595
Chesterfield County 4,75174.11%1,66025.89%3,09148.21%6,411
Clarke County 85065.69%44434.31%40631.38%1,294
Craig County 11139.36%17160.64%-60-21.28%282
Culpeper County 1,41770.15%60329.85%81440.30%2,020
Cumberland County 56274.63%19125.37%37149.27%753
Dickenson County 695.13%1,27794.87%-1,208-89.75%1,346
Dinwiddie County 1,39078.27%38621.73%1,00456.53%1,776
Essex County 45471.16%18428.84%27042.32%638
Fairfax County 4,93230.15%11,42769.85%-6,495-39.70%16,359
Fauquier County 1,82762.78%1,08337.22%74425.57%2,910
Floyd County 5615.34%30984.66%-253-69.32%365
Fluvanna County 37874.26%13125.74%24748.53%509
Franklin County 1,22448.78%1,28551.22%-61-2.43%2,509
Frederick County 1,37869.35%60930.65%76938.70%1,987
Giles County 57947.30%64552.70%-66-5.39%1,224
Gloucester County 75663.53%43436.47%32227.06%1,190
Goochland County 84178.60%22921.40%61257.20%1,070
Grayson County 30724.98%92275.02%-615-50.04%1,229
Greene County 8749.15%9050.85%-3-1.69%177
Greensville County 1,84380.45%44819.55%1,39560.89%2,291
Halifax County 2,09184.97%37015.03%1,72169.93%2,461
Hanover County 2,78476.78%84223.22%1,94253.56%3,626
Henrico County 10,86176.60%3,31823.40%7,54353.20%14,179
Henry County 1,11457.07%83842.93%27614.14%1,952
Highland County 15775.48%5124.52%10650.96%208
Isle of Wight County 85932.61%1,77567.39%-916-34.78%2,634
James City County 35548.56%37651.44%-21-2.87%731
King and Queen County 26965.77%14034.23%12931.54%409
King George County 31466.24%16033.76%15432.49%474
King William County 70672.56%26727.44%43945.12%973
Lancaster County 82060.25%54139.75%27920.50%1,361
Lee County 23415.48%1,27884.52%-1,044-69.05%1,512
Loudoun County 1,43465.39%75934.61%67530.78%2,193
Louisa County 1,08981.76%24318.24%84663.51%1,332
Lunenburg County 1,63586.65%25213.35%1,38373.29%1,887
Madison County 39679.68%10120.32%29559.36%497
Mathews County 52573.53%18926.47%33647.06%714
Mecklenburg County 2,92689.62%33910.38%2,58779.23%3,265
Middlesex County 52465.83%27234.17%25231.66%796
Montgomery County 53931.71%1,16168.29%-622-36.59%1,700
Nelson County 94666.62%47433.38%47233.24%1,420
New Kent County 27267.66%13032.34%14235.32%402
Norfolk County 2,48058.99%1,72441.01%75617.98%4,204
Northampton County 1,30982.85%27117.15%1,03865.70%1,580
Northumberland County 66663.49%38336.51%28326.98%1,049
Nottoway County 1,70377.55%49322.45%1,21055.10%2,196
Orange County 75270.61%31329.39%43941.22%1,065
Page County 87374.62%29725.38%57649.23%1,170
Patrick County 84857.65%62342.35%22515.30%1,471
Pittsylvania County 4,41478.68%1,19621.32%3,21857.36%5,610
Powhatan County 45067.98%21232.02%23835.95%662
Prince Edward County 2,12979.23%55820.77%1,57158.47%2,687
Prince George County 75676.60%23123.40%52553.19%987
Prince William County 1,29461.01%82738.99%46722.02%2,121
Princess Anne County 4,01973.66%1,43726.34%2,58247.32%5,456
Pulaski County 86649.66%87850.34%-12-0.69%1,744
Rappahannock County 43576.05%13723.95%29852.10%572
Richmond County 49271.72%19428.28%29843.44%686
Roanoke County 1,52953.99%1,30346.01%2267.98%2,832
Rockbridge County 1,18967.29%57832.71%61134.58%1,767
Rockingham County 77664.56%42635.44%35029.12%1,202
Russell County 40624.22%1,27075.78%-864-51.55%1,676
Scott County 45030.57%1,02269.43%-572-38.86%1,472
Shenandoah County 1,07075.51%34724.49%72351.02%1,417
Smyth County 49834.09%96365.91%-465-31.83%1,461
Southampton County 1,83467.45%88532.55%94934.90%2,719
Spotsylvania County 50842.37%69157.63%-183-15.26%1,199
Stafford County 42634.72%80165.28%-375-30.56%1,227
Surry County 62056.57%47643.43%14413.14%1,096
Sussex County 1,42984.66%25915.34%1,17069.31%1,688
Tazewell County 67728.88%1,66771.12%-990-42.24%2,344
Warren County 1,38368.98%62231.02%76137.96%2,005
Washington County 64831.72%1,39568.28%-747-36.56%2,043
Westmoreland County 77756.67%59443.33%18313.35%1,371
Wise County 34912.96%2,34387.04%-1,994-74.07%2,692
Wythe County 60749.15%62850.85%-21-1.70%1,235
York County 1,07853.13%95146.87%1276.26%2,029
Alexandria City 3,40037.45%5,67862.55%-2,278-25.09%9,078
Bristol City 72953.72%62846.28%1017.44%1,357
Buena Vista City 44774.87%15025.13%29749.75%597
Charlottesville City 2,08853.14%1,84146.86%2476.29%3,929
Clifton Forge City 34356.05%26943.95%7412.09%612
Colonial Heights City 1,33483.58%26216.42%1,07267.17%1,596
Covington City 61355.73%48744.27%12611.45%1,100
Danville City 4,61173.48%1,66426.52%2,94746.96%6,275
Fairfax City 37340.68%54459.32%-171-18.65%917
Falls Church City 37137.47%61962.53%-248-25.05%990
Franklin City 2,11250.47%2,07349.53%390.93%4,185
Fredericksburg City 83348.86%87251.14%-39-2.29%1,705
Galax City 18240.09%27259.91%-90-19.82%454
Hampton City 3,36543.49%4,37356.51%-1,008-13.03%7,738
Harrisonburg City 57670.67%23929.33%33741.35%815
Hopewell City 1,77869.81%76930.19%1,00939.62%2,547
Lynchburg City 4,31162.71%2,56337.29%1,74825.43%6,874
Martinsville City 89661.08%57138.92%32522.15%1,467
Newport News City 4,53649.09%4,70550.91%-169-1.83%9,241
Norfolk City 11,55646.90%13,08553.10%-1,529-6.21%24,641
Norton City 12332.89%25167.11%-128-34.22%374
Petersburg City 2,43363.93%1,37336.07%1,06027.85%3,806
Portsmouth City 4,54242.27%6,20357.73%-1,661-15.46%10,745
Radford City 18624.80%56475.20%-378-50.40%750
Richmond City 16,08257.67%11,80442.33%4,27815.34%27,886
Roanoke City 3,55645.54%4,25354.46%-697-8.93%7,809
South Boston City 56779.41%14720.59%42058.82%714
South Norfolk City 93163.90%52636.10%40527.80%1,457
Staunton City 1,20573.88%42626.12%77947.76%1,631
Suffolk City 1,35860.28%89539.72%46320.55%2,253
Virginia Beach City 79473.52%28626.48%50847.04%1,080
Waynesboro City 77271.35%31028.65%46242.70%1,082
Williamsburg City 30250.67%29449.33%81.34%596
Winchester City 1,54074.15%53725.85%1,00348.29%2,077
Totals199,51956.66%152,63943.34%46,88013.31%352,158

General election

Candidates

Results

1961 Virginia gubernatorial election [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Albertis S. Harrison, Jr. 251,861 63.85% +0.69%
Republican H. Clyde Pearson 142,56736.15%−0.29%
Majority 109,29427.71%+0.99%
Turnout 394,428
Democratic hold Swing

Results by county or independent city

1961 Virginia gubernatorial election by county or independent city [13]
Albertis Sydney Harrison jr.
Democratic
Henry Clyde Pearson
Republican
Various candidates
Write-ins
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%
Accomack County 1,92180.55%46419.45%1,45761.09%2,385
Albemarle County 2,09366.40%1,05933.60%1,03432.80%3,152
Alleghany County 68958.29%49041.46%30.25%19916.84%1,182
Amelia County 78277.97%22021.93%10.10%56256.03%1,003
Amherst County 1,53377.78%43722.17%10.05%1,09655.61%1,971
Appomattox County 1,43887.20%21112.80%1,22774.41%1,649
Arlington County 10,89355.58%8,70544.41%20.01%2,18811.16%19,600
Augusta County 2,62459.79%1,76340.17%20.05%86119.62%4,389
Bath County 35262.86%20837.14%14425.71%560
Bedford County 1,92970.63%80229.37%1,12741.27%2,731
Bland County 50956.74%38843.26%12113.49%897
Botetourt County 1,18957.19%89042.81%29914.38%2,079
Brunswick County 2,30689.66%26610.34%2,04079.32%2,572
Buchanan County 2,62455.58%2,09744.42%52711.16%4,721
Buckingham County 91183.50%18016.50%73167.00%1,091
Campbell County 1,77071.89%69228.11%1,07843.79%2,462
Caroline County 80974.56%27625.44%53349.12%1,085
Carroll County 1,02233.37%2,04166.63%-1,019-33.27%3,063
Charles City County 17432.46%36267.54%-188-35.07%536
Charlotte County 1,04185.19%18114.81%86070.38%1,222
Chesterfield County 4,85669.81%2,10030.19%2,75639.62%6,956
Clarke County 61883.97%11816.03%50067.93%736
Craig County 37564.21%20935.79%16628.42%584
Culpeper County 1,48284.83%26515.17%1,21769.66%1,747
Cumberland County 50376.91%15022.94%10.15%35353.98%654
Dickenson County 1,87755.01%1,53544.99%34210.02%3,412
Dinwiddie County 1,27688.55%16511.45%1,11177.10%1,441
Essex County 52481.88%11618.13%40863.75%640
Fairfax County 9,60647.47%10,62452.50%70.03%-1,018-5.03%20,237
Fauquier County 1,58178.93%42221.07%1,15957.86%2,003
Floyd County 46934.54%88965.46%-420-30.93%1,358
Fluvanna County 46675.04%15524.96%31150.08%621
Franklin County 1,41468.34%65531.66%75936.68%2,069
Frederick County 1,12376.50%34323.37%20.14%78053.13%1,468
Giles County 1,52062.27%92137.73%59924.54%2,441
Gloucester County 83276.68%25323.32%57953.36%1,085
Goochland County 77278.62%21021.38%56257.23%982
Grayson County 2,53344.15%3,20455.85%-671-11.70%5,737
Greene County 38858.08%28041.92%10816.17%668
Greensville County 1,34083.91%25716.09%1,08367.81%1,597
Halifax County 1,66786.96%25013.04%1,41773.92%1,917
Hanover County 1,85476.39%57323.61%1,28152.78%2,427
Henrico County 9,82671.50%3,91528.49%20.01%5,91143.01%13,743
Henry County 1,24760.80%80439.20%44321.60%2,051
Highland County 36154.29%30445.71%578.57%665
Isle of Wight County 1,24770.97%50528.74%50.28%74242.23%1,757
James City County 39756.31%30843.69%8912.62%705
King and Queen County 31773.72%11326.28%20447.44%430
King George County 40471.50%16128.50%24343.01%565
King William County 77476.63%23623.37%53853.27%1,010
Lancaster County 75969.25%33730.75%42238.50%1,096
Lee County 2,79458.22%2,00541.78%78916.44%4,799
Loudoun County 1,50476.89%45223.11%1,05253.78%1,956
Louisa County 1,11379.33%29020.67%82358.66%1,403
Lunenburg County 1,28786.43%20213.57%1,08572.87%1,489
Madison County 51966.54%26133.46%25833.08%780
Mathews County 61967.58%29732.42%32235.15%916
Mecklenburg County 2,37288.94%29511.06%2,07777.88%2,667
Middlesex County 55972.88%20827.12%35145.76%767
Montgomery County 2,71350.79%2,62849.20%10.02%851.59%5,342
Nelson County 81883.90%15716.10%66167.79%975
New Kent County 33971.07%13828.93%20142.14%477
Norfolk County 2,71277.42%79122.58%1,92154.84%3,503
Northampton County 1,05185.31%18114.69%87070.62%1,232
Northumberland County 67771.04%27628.96%40142.08%953
Nottoway County 1,49883.83%28916.17%1,20967.66%1,787
Orange County 85873.90%29925.75%40.34%55948.15%1,161
Page County 1,93755.41%1,55944.59%37810.81%3,496
Patrick County 1,22078.31%33821.69%88256.61%1,558
Pittsylvania County 3,10383.26%62416.74%2,47966.51%3,727
Powhatan County 53767.80%25532.20%28235.61%792
Prince Edward County 1,80478.78%48621.22%1,31857.55%2,290
Prince George County 62478.00%17622.00%44856.00%800
Prince William County 2,03371.21%82228.79%1,21142.42%2,855
Princess Anne County 3,84577.77%1,09922.23%2,74655.54%4,944
Pulaski County 1,60757.91%1,16842.09%43915.82%2,775
Rappahannock County 35880.63%8619.37%27261.26%444
Richmond County 38574.90%12925.10%25649.81%514
Roanoke County 3,46748.86%3,62951.14%-162-2.28%7,096
Rockbridge County 1,28265.64%67134.36%61131.29%1,953
Rockingham County 1,91049.28%1,96650.72%-56-1.44%3,876
Russell County 1,63551.22%1,55748.78%782.44%3,192
Scott County 2,49546.57%2,86353.43%-368-6.87%5,358
Shenandoah County 1,77646.35%2,05653.65%-280-7.31%3,832
Smyth County 1,46046.76%1,66253.24%-202-6.47%3,122
Southampton County 1,82086.30%28913.70%1,53172.59%2,109
Spotsylvania County 58762.51%35137.38%10.11%23625.13%939
Stafford County 65061.90%39938.00%10.10%25123.90%1,050
Surry County 68880.37%16819.63%52060.75%856
Sussex County 1,26691.81%1138.19%1,15383.61%1,379
Tazewell County 2,28960.44%1,49739.53%10.03%79220.91%3,787
Warren County 1,67175.99%52824.01%1,14351.98%2,199
Washington County 3,11158.74%2,18341.22%20.04%92817.52%5,296
Westmoreland County 69679.09%18420.91%51258.18%880
Wise County 3,05864.97%1,64835.01%10.02%1,41029.96%4,707
Wythe County 1,64353.15%1,44846.85%1956.31%3,091
York County 92557.52%68342.48%24215.05%1,608
Alexandria City 5,01261.66%3,11638.34%623.33%8,128
Bristol City 1,49573.25%54226.56%40.20%95346.69%2,041
Buena Vista City 62073.20%22726.80%39346.40%847
Charlottesville City 1,69960.64%1,10339.36%59621.27%2,802
Clifton Forge City 1,00368.89%45331.11%55037.77%1,456
Colonial Heights City 1,03986.44%16313.56%87672.88%1,202
Covington City 91358.83%63841.11%10.06%27517.72%1,552
Danville City 3,77677.33%1,10722.67%2,66954.66%4,883
Fairfax City 64255.39%51744.61%12510.79%1,159
Falls Church City 91653.26%80446.74%1126.51%1,720
Franklin City 2,34276.69%70723.15%50.16%1,63553.54%3,054
Fredericksburg City 90270.30%38129.70%52140.61%1,283
Galax City 59651.07%57148.93%252.14%1,167
Hampton City 3,15860.43%2,06439.49%40.08%1,09420.93%5,226
Harrisonburg City 99260.82%63939.18%35321.64%1,631
Hopewell City 1,78375.61%57524.39%1,20851.23%2,358
Lynchburg City 3,97661.95%2,44238.05%1,53423.90%6,418
Martinsville City 1,47667.24%71932.76%75734.49%2,195
Newport News City 4,02362.71%2,39237.29%1,63125.42%6,415
Norfolk City 12,39465.10%6,64334.90%5,75130.21%19,037
Norton City 44061.28%27838.72%16222.56%718
Petersburg City 2,07277.66%59522.30%10.04%1,47755.36%2,668
Portsmouth City 5,75671.40%2,30628.60%3,45042.79%8,062
Radford City 1,41654.46%1,18445.54%2328.92%2,600
Richmond City 15,67162.49%9,40137.49%40.02%6,27025.00%25,076
Roanoke City 7,47249.20%7,71650.80%-244-1.61%15,188
South Boston City 48583.05%9916.95%38666.10%584
South Norfolk City 1,91479.52%49320.48%1,42159.04%2,407
Staunton City 2,14766.72%1,07133.28%1,07633.44%3,218
Suffolk City 1,33182.41%28417.59%1,04764.83%1,615
Virginia Beach City 75281.21%17418.79%57862.42%926
Waynesboro City 1,67960.40%1,09739.46%40.14%58220.94%2,780
Williamsburg City 32160.00%21239.63%20.37%10920.37%535
Winchester City 1,31679.52%33920.48%97759.03%1,655
Total251,86163.84%142,56736.14%620.02%109,29427.71%394,490

Analysis

Harrison almost exactly matched Almond's performance from 1957, improving the Democratic margin by one percentage point. Nevertheless, the ensuing collapse of the Byrd machine means this remains the last occasion a Democratic gubernatorial nominee has won sixty percent of the vote, and would be the last occasion until 2017 that Chesterfield County voted Democratic for Governor. [14]

References

  1. Kousser, J. Morgan (1974). The Shaping of Southern Politics: Suffrage Restriction and the Establishment of the One-Party South, 1880-1910. Yale University Press. pp. 178–181. ISBN   0-300-01696-4.
  2. Daffron, John F. (November 13, 1960). "Stephens Enters 1961 Race for Governor of Virginia: Primary Battle with Harrison of Byrd Likely". The Washington Post . p. B1.
  3. Sweeney, James R. (2017). "Bridge to the New Dominion: Virginia's 1965 Gubernatorial Election". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 125 (3). Richmond: 249.
  4. Dodson, Bob (January 14, 1961). "What Wagon Fills First?". Ledger-Star . Norfolk, Virginia. p. 1.
  5. "Verbal Battle Continues on Organization Issue – Stephens' and Harrison's Campaign Manager Needle Each Other on Attack". Danville Register and Bee . Danville, Virginia. Associated Press. May 17, 1961. p. 3-A.
  6. "Chinn Named Treasurer For Stephens Campaign". The Washington Post . Washington, D.C. May 6, 1961. p. C2.
  7. "Byrd Organization Scored, Defended". Richmond Times-Dispatch . May 26, 1961. p. 1.
  8. Heinemann, Ronald (1996). Harry Byrd of Virginia. Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia Press. pp. 350–351. ISBN   0-8139-1642-9.
  9. "Schools Continue as Focal Point in Virginia's Governor Contest". Evening Star . Washington, D.C. The Associated Press. June 18, 1961. p. B-3.
  10. 1 2 "VA Governor – D Primary Race – July 11, 1961". Our Campaigns.
  11. "No Easy Task for GOP State Ticket". Daily Press . Newport News, Virginia. October 26, 1961. p. 4.
  12. "Politicians Watch for Vote Trend". Ledger-Star. Norfolk, Virginia. Associated Press. November 7, 1961. p. 2.
  13. 1 2 "VA Governor Race – Nov 07, 1961". Our Campaigns.
  14. Schwartzman, Paul (November 26, 2017). "Women's group in red Virginia county promotes a liberal surge". The Washington Post . Washington, D.C. p. C1.